QUÆ EXTANT, INTERPRETATIONE ET NOTIS ILLUSTRAVIT JOHANNES GODVINUS, PROFESSOR REGIUS, IN USUM DELPHINI. THE NOTES AND INTERPRETATIONS TRANSLATED AND IMPROVED NEW EDITION, CAREFULLY CORRECTED BY COMPARISON WITH A STANDARD LONDON EDITION BY WILLIAM MANN, A. M. Philadelphia: THOMAS, COWPERTHWAIT & Co. 1838. Entered, according to act of Congress, in the year 1835, by DESILVER, THOMAS, & Co., in the clerk's office of the district court of the eastern district of Pennnsylvania. STEREOTYPED BY JOHN FAGAN.....PHILADELPHIA. PREFACE. UNTIL within these few years, it was universally the custom to edit the La tin classics with critical and explanatory notes in the Latin language. The first commentators and editors of the Latin classics wrote, not for schools, but for men already well versed in the language. Of course, their object was not to explain the difficulties that occur to a reader imperfectly acquainted with the language, but in some measure to display their critical knowledge of the author, the extent of their reading and erudition. Moreover, the languages of Europe were then rude and unpolished. All who had any pretension to learning, wrote in the Latin language, which consequently became the key to every science. When the classics were published for Students of the Latin tongue, the explanatory notes were nearly of the same nature with those that had been already compiled for the use of the learned: without taking into consideration that the person, for whose use they were designed, required such assistance as would enable him to understand the idioms of the language; and that these notes, so far from being useful to him, would only add to his difficulties, if he attempted to read them. As respected the Student therefore, they became a useless appendage to the book ;, increasing its size, without any real increase of value. For he seldom turned his attention to them; when he did, it was only through the compulsion of his teacher; and then they became as difficult an object of study as the text itself. Hence the greater portion of the student's time was wasted in poring over the crudities of the commentator, when it might have been more usefully employed in studying the beauties of the author. The plan pointed out by reason, to aid the Student of the Latin language, is to accompany the books, put into his hands, with notes, in his own language, explaining the difficulties that may occur from the idioms of the language, and the peculiarities of expression of the author; from allusions to ancient institutions; and from technical terms. In the notes of this edition of Cæsar, the substance of the notes in usum Delphini has been given. The military terms, and allusions to the manners and institutions of the Romans and Gauls, have been particularly explained. The modern names of ancient countries and towns have also been given. In preparing the text for press, much care has been taken to revise and collate it with several of the most approved editions. In the twelfth London edition in usum Delphini, from which the present one was printed, four hundred and sixteen typographical errors were corrected, many of them very important, exclusive of bad readings, and errors in accentuation. Much objection has been made to American editions of the Latin classics, for want of accuracy; but it may with safety be asserted, that few, if any, exceed the incorrectness of the late London editions, particularly those in usum Delphini. The text of a work frequently reprinted will almost always become corrupted, unless collated with accurate and approved copies: but this is a drudgery seldom submitted to by editors, when any are employed. I hope that the notes of the present edition of Cæsar may be really useful to the Student of the Latin language, and that those difficulties and disgusts, to which a youth is subject, in the commencement of his studies of ancient authors, may, in a great measure, be removed. Should I succeed in this, I shall consider my time most usefully spent. For if the acquisition of know |